1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."13The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."14Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.15You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.16But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.17In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.18I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."19Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."20He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.21Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."22This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself ? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins."25"Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied.26"I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father. "39"Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did.40As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.41You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."48The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?" 49"I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus, "but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.50I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.51I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."52At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death.53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"54Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.55Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."57"You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"58"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

1Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei.2The LORD said to me, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."3So the LORD our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors.4At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them--the whole region of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan.5All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages.6We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city--men, women and children.7But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.8So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon.9(Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.)10We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, towns of Og's kingdom in Bashan.11(Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)12Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.13The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites.14Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair. )15And I gave Gilead to Makir.16But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.17Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.18I commanded you at that time: "The LORD your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of your brother Israelites.19However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you,20until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your God is giving them, across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you."21At that time I commanded Joshua: "You have seen with your own eyes all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. The LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going.22Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you."23At that time I pleaded with the LORD:24"O Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?25Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan--that fine hill country and Lebanon."26But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.27Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.28But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."29So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.

1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.27For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.29Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?30And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?31I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."33Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.35But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"36How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.37When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.39All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.41The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.9Do your best to come to me quickly,10for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.12I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.13When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.14Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.15You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.16At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.19Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.20Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.21Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers.22The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

1"But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say.2I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue.3My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.4The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.5Answer me then, if you can; prepare yourself and confront me.6I am just like you before God; I too have been taken from clay.7No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy upon you.8"But you have said in my hearing-- I heard the very words--9'I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt.10Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy.11He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.'12"But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than man.13Why do you complain to him that he answers none of man's words ?14For God does speak--now one way, now another-- though man may not perceive it.15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds,16he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,17to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,18to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.19Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones,20so that his very being finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.21His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.22His soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the messengers of death.23"Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,24to be gracious to him and say, 'Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him'--25then his flesh is renewed like a child's; it is restored as in the days of his youth.26He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state.27Then he comes to men and says, 'I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved.28He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light.'29"God does all these things to a man-- twice, even three times--30to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him.31"Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want you to be cleared.33But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

1Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.2You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?3Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.4Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

1My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,2turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,3and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,4and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,5then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.6For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.7He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,8for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.9Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path.10For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.11Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.12Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,13who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,14who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,15whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.16It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,17who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.18For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.19None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.20Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.21For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;22but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

1Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom.2So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don't use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead.3Then go to the king and speak these words to him." And Joab put the words in her mouth.4When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, "Help me, O king!"5The king asked her, "What is troubling you?" She said, "I am indeed a widow; my husband is dead.6I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.7Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.' They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth."8The king said to the woman, "Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf."9But the woman from Tekoa said to him, "My lord the king, let the blame rest on me and on my father's family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt."10The king replied, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you again."11She said, "Then let the king invoke the LORD his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed." "As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "not one hair of your son's head will fall to the ground."12Then the woman said, "Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king." "Speak," he replied.13The woman said, "Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son?14Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.15"And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, 'I will speak to the king; perhaps he will do what his servant asks.16Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from the inheritance God gave us.'17"And now your servant says, 'May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the LORD your God be with you.' "18Then the king said to the woman, "Do not keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you." "Let my lord the king speak," the woman said.19The king asked, "Isn't the hand of Joab with you in all this?" The woman answered, "As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant.20Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God--he knows everything that happens in the land."21The king said to Joab, "Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom."22Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, "Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant's request."23Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.24But the king said, "He must go to his own house; he must not see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.25In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.26Whenever he cut the hair of his head--he used to cut his hair from time to time when it became too heavy for him--he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.27Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter's name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.28Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king's face.29Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come.30Then he said to his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.31Then Joab did go to Absalom's house and he said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?"32Absalom said to Joab, "Look, I sent word to you and said, 'Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!" ' Now then, I want to see the king's face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death."33So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

1Early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:2This is what the LORD said to me: "Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck.3Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.4Give them a message for their masters and say, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Tell this to your masters:5With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please.6Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.7All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.8" ' "If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand.9So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.'10They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish.11But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the LORD." ' "12I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, "Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.13Why will you and your people die by the sword, famine and plague with which the LORD has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?14Do not listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying lies to you.15'I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. 'They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.' "16Then I said to the priests and all these people, "This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, 'Very soon now the articles from the LORD's house will be brought back from Babylon.' They are prophesying lies to you.17Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin?18If they are prophets and have the word of the LORD, let them plead with the LORD Almighty that the furnishings remaining in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon.19For this is what the LORD Almighty says about the pillars, the Sea, the movable stands and the other furnishings that are left in this city,20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem--21yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem:22'They will be taken to Babylon and there they will remain until the day I come for them,' declares the LORD. 'Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.' "

1Then the high priest asked him, "Are these charges true?"2To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.3'Leave your country and your people,' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.'4"So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.6God spoke to him in this way: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.7But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' God said, 'and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.'8Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.9"Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him10and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.11"Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food.12When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.13On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family.14After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all.15Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.16Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.17"As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.18Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt.19He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.20"At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house.21When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.22Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.23"When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites.24He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian.25Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.26The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?'27"But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us?28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'29When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.30"After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.31When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice:32'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.33"Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground.34I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.'35"This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.36He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert.37"This is that Moses who told the Israelites, 'God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.'38He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us.39"But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.40They told Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!'41That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made.42But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: " 'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?43You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile' beyond Babylon.44"Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.45Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,46who enjoyed God's favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.47But it was Solomon who built the house for him.48"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:49" 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?50Has not my hand made all these things?'51"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!52Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him--53you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."54When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.56"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.